Wringer and the like



' w, KAUVFFMAN, 2D 2,284,285.

.WRINGER AND THE LIKE May 26, 1942.

Filed oat. 7, 1938 Patented May 26, 1942 mes VVRINGER AND THE LXKE Walter L. Kauflman,

Lovell Manufacturin II, Erie, Pa, assignor to g Company, Erie, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 7, 1938, Serial No. 233,833

9 Claims.

Power wringers and similar devices involve a certain amount of hazard to persons operating them in that there is danger of the operator getting caught in the rolls. In order to reduce the hazard, devices have been provided for relieving the condition. The two methods generally employed are to release the pressure on the rolls, or to stop the driving action on the rolls, or both. In the present invention both methods may be employed. It will also be understood that when an operator is caught in the rolls, any action is under panic conditions, and must be accomplished very quickly. To this end some release devices are what might be termed instinctive release devices, that is to say, they respond to the instinctive pull or action of the operator caught. The present invention is designed to carry out an instinctive release.

Features and details of the invention will appear from the specification and claims. The invention is. illustrated as a wringer in the accompanying drawing, as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the wringer partly in section. V

Fig. 2 a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 a section on the line 55 in Fig. 1, parts being in neutral position.

Fig. 5 a section on the line 55 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 a section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 a perspective view of a frame supporting post.

Fig. 8 a perspective View of rocker.

l marks the base of the wringer frame; 2 the stile opposite the driving end of the wringer; 3 the stile adjacent to the driving end; 4 the lower wringer roll; to the upper wringer roll; 5 and 6 the shafts for the lower and upper rolls respectively; 1 bearings for the shaft 5; B brackets supporting the bearings; 9 bearings for the upper shaft 6, the bearings 9 being slidingly mounted in the stiles; ii] a pressure spring operating on the upper bearings; l I a headed adjusting screw operating through a nut l2, the nut being secured in the top barlii. The top bar is detachable, being held to the stile 3 by detachable interlocking shoulders I 4.

At the opposite end of the wringer a resetting lever is hinged at I5a on the top bar. It is connected with the stile 2 by links l5b, the lever l5 and links lfib forming a toggle adapted to reset the pressure on the spring. The pivots of the a frame carrying the links I51: and hinge [5a are so aligned as to retain the toggle in set position when the lever is in its lowermost position. The lever l5 has an arm I50 which is engaged by an arm l5 pivotally mounted on the top and provided with a trip bar l6a. With the downward movement of the trip bar, the toggle lever is' forced outwardly to unstable position, and the further movement of the toggle releases the pressure on the spring and thus the pressure on the rolls. This pressure release mechanism is more fully described in my Patent No. 2,233,385, dated Feb. 25, 1941.

Preferably springs 9a between the bearings '7 and 9 are provided for lifting the upper roll when the pressure is released, and springs la are provided under the lower bearings for lifting the shaft 5, and consequently its gear out of mesh as hereinafter described. A supporting head I! is swiveled on a post l8, the post having a flange IS with a number of perforations through it at its upper end adapted to receive a bolt slidingly secured on the head. It is provided with a handle 2!. A spring 22 yieldingly holds the bolt in locked position. This swivel connection permits the swinging of the head and the wringer, and the bolt locks them in adjusted positions. A drive shaft 23 is journaled in the post and is provided with a beveled driving gear 2 3 at its upper end. A beveled gear 25 meshes with the gear 24 and is carried by a shaft 26, journaled on a bearing 21 formed in a web 21a in the head. A gear 28 meshes with a gear 29 carried by a stud 3!? extending from the web 27a. The gear 28 is fixed on the inner end of the shaft 26. The gear 29 meshes with a gear 3| journaled on a stud 32, the stud 32 being carried by a post extending from the web Zia. A gear 33 is fixed on the shaft 5 and communicates the driving movement to the roll.

The head is provided with a supporting arm 34 which extends laterally under the wringer frame. It is provided with the supporting posts 34a. Rockers 35 are pivotally mounted by means of studs 36on the posts 34a. The rockers are pivotally connected with the bottoms of the stiles by studs 31 which extend through perforatlons in the outer walls of the stiles. The frame is connected with the web 271) of the head by means of a screw 39 which extends from the stile through a slot 40 in the web 2712, thus this connection permits of a pivotal movement of the wringer frame and also a vertical movement. The wringer is moved to set position by moving the bottom of the wringer on the rockers toward the rear. This drops the driven gear 33 into mesh with the reversing gear 3i and gives the rolls the forward rotative movement. Should the operator become caught, the instinctive pull toward her swings the wringer frame, thus disengaging the gear. As soon as this disengaging movement is started, and the rocker starts to tilt, the thrust of the gears'assists in the disengaging movement. Should the operator in the panic, instead of pulling, resist the forward movement of the frame by the free hand grasping the upper part of the frame, the free hand will engage. the trip bar and release the pressure.

In order to yieldingly hold the wringer can be forced to set or driving'position eitherjbya forward or backward movement, throwing the gear 33 into mesh with the gear 29 or 31 desired, these gears reversing the movement of the rolls. The rockers are-wide enough so that they engage thearm 34 to limit the rocking movement, and consequently the rocking movement of the wringer.

When the wringer is in set position the axes of the studs 31 and 36 are in the lineAA and this line parallels with thedirection ofthrust of-the gear 33 on line CD. This paralleling of the alignment is afiected with either setting of the gear 33. Thus the thrustof the gear is neutralized by the setting vof the link and does not lift the frame so as to disengage, the gear, but as soon as the frame is moved. slightly and the rocker swung from the line AA, the thrust of the gear assists in lifting the wringer on the rocker to neutral position. It will be noted that trip bars are arranged at both sides of the wringer and that a thrust upon the trip bar releases the pressure so that with a single thrust, the roll may be stopped and the pressure relieved.

What I claim as new is; g 1 I 1. In a wringer or the like having; a frame; rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; and a supporting headcomprising a supporting arm; the combination with said head and frame of a swinging vertically movable connection between the head and the frame; a frame supportingconnection between'the arm and frame permitting a forward and back substantially equal in its. neutral position, the following mechanism is proprovided with cross Nuts 43 are arranged at movement at both: ends of the bottom of the frame, comprising devices lifting the 4 frame through such movement to a neutral position intermediate the ends of such movement; a safety device actuated with suchlifting movement; and a device yieldingly holding the frame in neutral intermediate position. v V v 2. In a wringer or the like having aframe; rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; and a supporting headcomprising a supporting arm; the combination with said head and frame of a swinging vertically:movableconnectionbctween the headand the, frame; a frame supporting'connection between the arm and frame permitting a forward' and back substantially equal movement of both ends of the bottom of the frame, comprising devices lifting the frame P l lise h m v mse j a neu e pg ii qn i termediate the ends of such movement; and a safety device actuated with such lifting movement comprising a driven gear on one of the roll shafts; oppositely rotating driving gears on the head into and out of mesh with which the gear on the roll shaft may be swung by the movement of the frame; and devices yieldingly holding the frame in intermediate position.

3.-In a wringer or the like having a frame; rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; and a supporting head comprising a supporting arm; the combination with said frame and supporting arm of a swinging vertically movable connection between the head and the frame; a frame, supporting connection between the arm and framepermitting a forward and back substantially equalmovement of both ends of the bottomof the frame, comprising devices lifting the frame through such movement to a neutral position intermediate the ends of such movement; and a safety device actuated with such lifting movement comprising a driven gear on one of the roll shafts, and oppositely rotating driving gears onthe head into and out of mesh with which the gear on the roll shaft may be swung by the movement of the frame, the thrust of the driving gears being in a direction assisting in the disengagement of the driven gear whenthe wringer is moved to neutral.

4. In a wringer or the like having a frame; rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; anda supporting head comprising a supporting arm; the combination with said frame and arm of rockers pivotally mounted on the arm and spaced apart along the arm; pivotal connections between the rockers and the frame; a swinging and vertically movable connection between the frame and head vertically spaced from the rocker connections; and asafety device actuated with a lifting of the frame by the rockers as the frame is moved either in a forward or backward direction on the rockers depending on the direction of rotation of the rolls. s I

5. In a wringer or the like, the combination of a frame; rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; a supporting head comprising a supporting arm; rockers pivotallymounted on'the arm; pivotal connections between the rockers and the frame; a swingingandvertically movable connect ion between the frame and head vertically spaced from the rocker connections; a gearing comprising oppositely rotating adjacent driving gears; and a gear on one of ;the said shafts swinging with the shaft and frame into and out of mesh with the driving gears and into neutral between them.

6. In a wringer or the like, the combination of a frame; rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; a supporting head comprising a supporting. arm; rockers pivotally mounted on the arm; pivotal connections between the rockers and theframe; a swinging and vertically movable connection between the frame and head vertically spaced from the rocker connections; a gearing comprising oppositely rotating adjacent driving gears; a gear on one of saidshafts swinging with the shaft and frame into and out of mesh with the driving gears and into'netural between them; and devices yieldingly holding the wringer in neutral: position. I j

'7. 'In-a wringer or the like, the combination of a frame; 'rolls comprising shafts mounted in the frame; a supporting head comprising a supporting arm; rockers pivotally mounted on the arm; pivotal connections between therockers and the,

frame; a, swinging and vertically movable connection between the frame and head vertically spaced from the rocker connections; a gearing comprising oppositely rotating adjacent driving gears; and a gear on one of said shafts swinging with the shaft and frame into and out of mesh with'the driving gears and into neutral between them, the thrust of the driving gears being in approximately the same direction as lines connecting the axes of the pivots of the rockers.

8. In a wringer or the like having a frame, shafts and coasting pressure rolls mounted in the frame, a supporting head, and driving means for the rolls and a safety device, the combination with the head and safety device of a frame supporting connection between the head and frame permitting a forward and back movement of the lower portion of the frame and rolls and compelling with such movement a lifting of the frame to a neutral position intermediate the ends of such movement, and devices responsive to such lifting of the frame making effective the safety device.

9. In a wringer' or the like having a frame, shafts and olls mounted in the frame, a supporting head comprising a supporting arm, and

driving means for the rolls, the combination withsaid frame and supporting arm of a frame supporting connection between the arm and frame permitting a forward and back movement of the lower portion of the frame and compelling through such movement a lifting of the frame to a neutral position intermediate the ends of such movement, and a safety device made effective through such lifting movement comprising a driven gear on the shaft and oppositely rotative driving gears on the head into mesh with which the gear on the roll shaft may be swung by the movement of the frame.

WALTER .L.. KAUFFMAN, II. 

